Chapter 44: The Back Courtyard! Sheng Lanzhi's Invitation

"His Eminence is truly wise!"

Seeing the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old say this, Guan Bao quickly reined in his thoughts and offered a flattering remark.

"You may withdraw."

The Nine-Thousand-Year-Old merely waved his hand, signaling that Guan Bao was dismissed. He then picked up another precious piece of jade and began turning it over in his hand to amuse himself.

After waiting for a short moment, Guan Bao bowed and backed out of the room.

***

Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun had already returned to his estate.

He had expected that at this late hour, the maidservants and attendants in the estate would have already retired for the night. To his surprise upon returning, he found the entire estate brilliantly lit. Although the maidservants and footmen wore expressions of lingering weariness, they still stood obediently along the corridors, not daring to make the slightest move.

"What is going on here?"

Seeing Xing'er walk over, Ye Liuyun asked casually.

Xing'er first took Ye Liuyun's outer robe, then said in a soft voice, "My lady requests the master's presence in the back courtyard, saying there are matters to discuss."

"The back courtyard?"

Lifting his brows in slight surprise, this was the first time Ye Liuyun had been invited to the back courtyard ever since he entered the estate under the guise of an elder brother.

Was he finally going to meet his sister-in-law?

However, why would she suddenly invite him out of the blue?

After pondering for a brief moment, Ye Liuyun immediately connected it to the death of his late-father-in-law, Sheng Li. Presumably, Sheng Lanzhi had already learned of her father's death, which was why she was inviting him over now.

A Feast at Hong Gate?

Although he was unsure of what Sheng Lanzhi actually intended to do, Ye Liuyun nodded nonetheless and said to Xing'er, "Lead the way."

Since the other party had issued an invitation, and Ye Liuyun was hardly a coward, what was there to be afraid of? He directly motioned for Xing'er to guide him.

"Master, please follow me."

Who knew what Xing'er had in mind, but there was an unshakeable worry knitted between her brows. Still, matters had reached this point, and saying anything else was useless; she could only lower her head and obediently lead the way for Ye Liuyun.

***

Ye Liuyun finally got to witness the estate's back courtyard after having stayed here for so many days.

Judging by the decorations, it was indeed far more spacious and luxurious than the remote quarters where he lived. After walking inward for a short while, Ye Liuyun saw from afar a beautiful woman dressed in plain white mourning clothes, sitting alone and sipping wine from a cup in the courtyard.

In his memories, he had only caught a glimpse or two of Sheng Lanzhi. The expression on her face was always one of confident, proud arrogance, as if she looked down upon everyone from above.

Yet right now, Sheng Lanzhi's brows were clouded with a hint of gloom.

Was she not grieving?

Although they were some distance apart, once his cultivation realm had risen, Ye Liuyun's vision far surpassed that of an ordinary person; he could see everything clearly from afar. Sheng Lanzhi seemed merely annoyed by Sheng Li's death, showing no signs of true sorrow for him.

It seemed that the bond between this father and daughter was not all that deep.

Moreover, based on what Ye Liuyun knew, even without Sheng Li, Sheng Lanzhi still owned quite a few shops under her name. The profits from these businesses alone were enough for her to continue living a prosperous life. At worst, she would simply lack the political connections that Sheng Li had provided.

"My lady!"

Amidst his thoughts, Ye Liuyun had already followed Xing'er into the courtyard.

Seeing that Sheng Lanzhi seemed deaf to the announcement and continued drinking as if she had heard nothing, Ye Liuyun did not mind. He simply sat down directly across from her.

The dishes set before them looked quite appetizing. Unfortunately, having just returned from the Bureau of Music, Ye Liuyun was thoroughly full and had no appetite whatsoever.

Seeing Ye Liuyun seat himself so casually, Sheng Lanzhi paused her drinking. Her exquisite eyes shifted over, sizing Ye Liuyun up from head to toe.

While Sheng Lanzhi was appraising Ye Liuyun, Ye Liuyun was likewise appraising Sheng Lanzhi.

She truly was stunning!

However, what surprised Ye Liuyun the most was that under the system's scan, although Sheng Lanzhi possessed no powerful innate traits—with the highest being merely blue—her actual martial cultivation had reached the level of a second-rate martial artist.

It wasn't exceptionally high, but it was still superior to Ye Liufeng, who had previously been merely a third-rate martial artist.

Had she cultivated this recently? Or had she possessed it all along?

Just as Ye Liuyun was feeling curious inwardly, Sheng Lanzhi, after scanning him for a moment, let out a light chuckle, as if she had discovered something utterly ridiculous.

"As expected, your brother really is good-for-nothing trash!"

"???"

This simple remark made Ye Liuyun pull back his thoughts and cast a surprised look at the woman before him.

Had he been found out?

Just like when Yan Shuzhu had exposed his identity, Ye Liuyun only felt a sense of novelty, without a trace of panic.

If his identity had been exposed at the very beginning, he might have panicked. But now? He was already a being of the Innate Realm; why on earth would he worry about a thing? If she had the ability, she could just try attacking him and see if he was afraid.

"How did you figure it out?"

Ye Liuyun was simply curious. He hadn't even said a word, yet Sheng Lanzhi had just looked at him for a moment and concluded that he was not Ye Liufeng, but Ye Liuyun instead?

"Although on the surface you look identical, but..."

Sheng Lanzhi paused, finishing the remaining wine in her cup.

She then looked at Ye Liuyun and said with a faint smile, "If it were Ye Liufeng, upon learning of my father's death and seeing me for the first time, he would have directly thrust a letter of divorce into my face. But you didn't do that!"

"..."

That made so much sense that he found himself completely unable to refute it.

So, it wasn't that his acting had flaws; it was simply that he wasn't quite as heartless and spineless as Ye Liufeng.

When he thought about it, it made sense. Ye Liufeng was utterly obsessed with climbing the official ladder, always sucking up to the powerful and trampling on the weak. If Sheng Li died, Sheng Lanzhi would become entirely useless to Ye Liufeng. Cutting ties with her at the earliest opportunity was entirely within the realm of expectation.

"So, the one who died that night was Ye Liufeng, am I right?"

Seeing that Sheng Lanzhi's expression remained normal and devoid of any sorrow, Ye Liuyun nodded.

He had originally thought that upon learning of this, Sheng Lanzhi would want to avenge Ye Liufeng, but judging by her demeanor, she didn't have the slightest intention of doing so.

"What, did you think I would avenge that wretch Ye Liufeng?"

Though Ye Liuyun hadn't spoken it aloud, Sheng Lanzhi easily guessed his thoughts.

"He's merely a dead man!"

Before Ye Liuyun could reply, Sheng Lanzhi continued on of her own accord.

"In this world, people die every day. My father could die, so why couldn't Ye Liufeng?"

Since she had said it all, what else was there for him to say?

"Clear-headed!"

Ye Liuyun raised his wine cup and made a gesture of toasting Sheng Lanzhi.

Indeed, in a certain sense, Sheng Lanzhi and Ye Liufeng could be considered cut from the same cloth. Anyone who was no longer of use to them could be cast aside at a moment's notice.

"Originally, when I summoned Ye Liufeng here, I merely wanted to maintain a shred of dignity."

As she spoke, Sheng Lanzhi drew a sheet of paper from her sleeve—a mutual agreement of separation.

In this era, a woman who was divorced by her husband would be looked down upon by others, regardless of her status. Though people would still gossip after a mutual separation, it was still far better than being formally cast out.

Sheng Lanzhi had been certain that Ye Liufeng would divorce her the moment he learned of Sheng Li's death, which was why she had prepared the separation agreement in advance.